Kaoru & the Battousai
by New Vamp Nut
Summary: [AU] Kaoru meets the Battousai in Kyoto while she is staying with the Oniwaban Group.


Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I wish I did.

Author's Note: This story was previously chapter 2 of Little Stormcloud. I didn't realize that it wasn't actually chapter 2. This is an entirely different story. Sorry for confusing everyone.

An unspeakable terror gripped her as she waited on the dark battlefield.  
  
A red light appeared and grew to a steady glow.  
  
Her eyes widened when she saw what the light was "aimed" at. It was a body, one all too  
  
familiar to her.  
  
She rushed to his side and lifted him to a sitting position. "Oh Kenshin," she breathed,  
  
brushing the thick red bangs out of his face. Her eyes filled with tears that spilled over her  
  
cheeks and landed on her lover's blood-spattered face. She pulled his lifeless form into her arms  
  
and hugged him tightly, sobbing into his limp red hair. "Kenshin, please wake up," she pleaded,  
  
clutching him tighter. "Please don't leave me. I don't want to lose you."  
  
Kaoru's eyes snapped open, and she looked around nervously. Seeing that she was safe at  
  
home, she calmed down a little and looked down at the small child in her arms. She cuddled him a  
  
little closer to her chest and stroked his soft, fiery red hair, smiling gently at him.  
  
Suddenly, the bedroom door burst open, revealing a tall, muscular swordsman.  
  
Kaoru instantly put her son down behind her and bolted upright.  
  
The swordsman smirked and raised his sword to kill her.   
  
A swordstrike came from behind him, killing him in a flash.  
  
Kaoru jumped slightly and immediately laid her hand on her son's stomach.  
  
"Don't worry, my dear," the killer spoke up, wiping his sword clean and re-sheathing it.  
  
He stepped into the moonlight and smiled gently at her. "I'm not going to hurt you."  
  
"Yamagata?" she wondered.  
  
He nodded.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked, fearfully.  
  
"There's no need to be worried," he replied, catching her nervous tone. "He's fine. I just  
  
came to tell you that you should get out of Kyoto."  
  
"Why?" She pulled her son into her arms when he whimpered and called for her.  
  
"It's too dangerous for you here. There are too many people who want to kill your  
  
Battousai. Quite a few of them know you're here and will come after you to get at him. Himura  
  
knows this and doesn't want you to get hurt because of him."  
  
"Did he send you?"  
  
"No. I came to help him out and put his mind at ease. He told me earlier today that he was  
  
worried about you." He knelt down before her and ruffled the child's flame-red hair. "And what  
  
might this little fellow's name be?"  
  
"Kenji," Kaoru answered.  
  
"Does he know about him?"  
  
Kaoru shook her head and looked down at Kenji.  
  
"I won't tell him."  
  
"Thank you." She looked up and forced a weak smile. "Can you leave me alone for a little  
  
while so I can get ready to leave?"  
  
"Of course." He nodded and stood up. "I'll be just outside in the hallway if you need me."  
  
When she nodded, he left.  
  
Kaoru kissed Kenji's cheek and laid him back down on the futon. She covered him up and  
  
went to the closet. She took out her old white gi and navy hakama and quickly dressed.  
  
With that accomplished, she dug up her traveling bag and a pair of sandals. She then  
  
grabbed her favorite snow white kimono, its navy obi, the two hair ribbons Kenshin had gotten  
  
her, and several of Kenji's outfits. She went back to her son and changed him into a little navy  
  
blue gi with gold and silver dragons on the sleeves and a white hakama, careful not to wake him.  
  
She tossed everything else into the bag, picked up the little boy, and stood up.  
  
She suddenly remembered something and wrote a quick note which she stuffed into her gi.  
  
Taking one last look at her bedroom, she left and met Yamagata outside.  
  
"I will escort the two of you to the outskirts of town, but from then on, you'll be on your  
  
own," he explained, leading her out of the house. "Is that all right?"  
  
Kaoru nodded and shifted Kenji slightly so he was resting agaisnt her shoulder.  
  
"Well, Kaoru, this is where I leave you," Yamagata said. "Good luck on your journey."  
  
"Thank you," she replied, taking the note from her gi. "Can you give this to Kenshin for  
  
me?"  
  
Yamagata nodded and put it in his pocket.  
  
"I appreciate it, Yamagata," she told him, waving and heading off.  
  
Yamagata waved back and went off to find the Battousai.  
  
A Week Later...  
  
Kaoru stood before the gates of her old family dojo, loosely holding Kenji's hand. She  
  
took a deep breath and knocked.  
  
A few minutes later, the gate opened, and a boy with spiky black hair appeared. "Kaoru?!"  
  
he exclaimed, his brown eyes widening in surprise.  
  
Kenji instantly dropped his mother's hand and hid behind her legs, wrapping his hands in  
  
her hakama.  
  
"Hello, Yahiko," Kaoru greeted, smiling.  
  
Yahiko's face brightened immediately, and he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist,  
  
burying his face in her stomach.  
  
Kaoru gently stroked the 10-year-old's unruly hair and rubbed his back soothingly with her  
  
other hand when he began to cry. "It's all right, Yahiko," she consoled, smiling again. "I'm right  
  
here, safe and sound, and I'm not going anywhere."  
  
Yahiko sniffled and pulled away from her, immediately putting his arrogant attitude back  
  
in place. "It sure is a good thing you're back, Ugly," he said, smugly. "I was beginning to miss that  
  
big mouth of yours."  
  
Kaoru promptly clonked him on the head, making a rather large bump appear. From  
  
behind her, she could Kenji giggling at the older boy.  
  
"OW!" Yahiko yelled, holding his head in pain. "What'd you do that for?!" He turned his  
  
gaze to her legs when he also caught Kenji's giggles. "Huh?" Momentarily forgetting his throbbing  
  
head, he squatted down on his haunches and drifted closer to the hidden boy.  
  
"Oh, I almost forgot," Kaoru spoke up, reaching behind her to grab hold of her toddler's  
  
hand. She pulled him out to stand in front of her and rested her hands on his thin shoulders,  
  
smiling. "This is my son, Kenji."  
  
"Kenji?" Yahiko repeated, looking up at her. He turned his gaze back to the little redhead  
  
when she nodded and smiled at him. "Hi Kenji."  
  
"Hi," Kenji squeaked, nervously.  
  
"I'm Yahiko," he told him. "Do you wanna come play with me?"  
  
Kenji looked up at his mother for permission and ran off with Yahiko when she nodded.  
  
Kaoru sighed and shook her head wistfully. She picked up her travel bag and went inside,  
  
closing the gate behind her. She then went to her old room, put her things away, and walked  
  
down to the spare room that Yahiko used. She unpacked Kenji's things there, put them away, and  
  
got out a futon and blankets for him. She set up the bed and headed off to find the boys. She  
  
walked into the front yard and smiled wistfully at the scene before her.  
  
Sanosuke had apparently come in while she was unpacking and was playing with Kenji and  
  
Yahiko. He had Kenji up on his shoulders and was busily chasing Yahiko.  
  
The boys stopped what they were doing when they spotted Kaoru on the porch.  
  
"Mommy!" Kenji called, racing to her the second Sano put him down. He wrapped his  
  
little arms around her legs and grinned happily up at her.  
  
"Hey baby," Kaoru replied, resting one hand at the back of his neck while the other toyed  
  
with the soft, red hair at the back of his head. "What have you been up to?"  
  
"Me and Uncle Sano played tag with little Yahiko," he answered, cheerfully. "It was fun."  
  
"Don't call me little!" Yahiko ordered, angrily.  
  
Kenji and Kaoru looked over at him and smiled.  
  
"Nice goin', Rooster-head," Yahiko grumbled. "Now, he's callin' me little too."  
  
Sano smiled stupidly at him before turning a serious face on Kaoru. "Hey Missy, I need to  
  
talk to you," he told her.  
  
"Okay," Kaoru agreed, slowly. She kissed Kenji's forehead lovingly and sent him over to  
  
Yahiko. "Yahiko, watch Kenji for me."  
  
"Sure, whatever," he replied, watching her follow Sano into the dojo.  
  
"So Sano, what did you wanna talk to me about?" Kaoru asked, sitting down on a mat.  
  
"Kyoto," he answered, noticing her tense slightly. "I wanna know what happened. You  
  
disappear there for five years and just show up out of nowhere with a two-year-old little boy."  
  
"Well, when I got to Kyoto, I an Oniwaban Group member named Misao," Kaoru  
  
explained, pointedly avoiding his eyes. "We became friends immediately, and I started living at her  
  
family's restaurant, the Aoiya. I'd been staying there for about a year when a couple of samurai  
  
came in for help. The older one had an awful wound in his stomach and was about to die. The  
  
younger one had his arm slung around his shoulders and supported half his weight as he stumbled  
  
in. Misao and Ochika took the older man from the younger one and carried him to one of the  
  
spare rooms. Once he was gone, the younger man collapsed from exhaustion. I went to his side  
  
immediately and helped him sit up. He was small, just a little bigger than me, and surprisingly  
  
muscular for his size." She sighed heavily as she remembered. "He had the beautiful molten gold  
  
eyes and the softest flame-red hair. His neatly contoured face was marred by a single cross-shaped  
  
scar on his left cheek. With everyone else busy with the older samurai, I was left alone with the  
  
redhead. I carried him as best I could to another of the spare rooms and left him to sleep there.  
  
While he was eating breakfast the next morning he told me his name was Kenshin and that he and  
  
his friend were members of the Inshin-Shishi."  
  
"So, this Kenshin is Kenji's father?" Sano deduced, scratching his chin thoughtfully.  
  
Kaoru nodded but still refused to meet his eyes.  
  
"So, what happened to him?" Sano asked.  
  
"Well, he and his friend stayed on at the Aoiya until his friend was healed. During that one  
  
and a half month period, Kenshin and I got closer and eventually fell in love. Before he left to go  
  
back to the Revolution, he promised me that he'd come back for me and we'd get married when it  
  
was safe. He kept his promise and visited me as often as he could. After about a year, he decided  
  
it was safe for us to get married, and we did. We moved to a nice, new house just outside of  
  
Kyoto. We stayed there for about five months before he had to leave again. He never came back."  
  
She sighed, and a tear rolled down her cheek. "Anyway, about six months later I had Kenji. I  
  
raised him by myself for two years until one of Kenshin's comrades came and told me that I  
  
needed to leave Kyoto. I packed our things, and we came here."  
  
"So, what happened?" Sano pressed. "Where is he now?"  
  
Kaoru took a deep breath and wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. "I  
  
don't know, Sano," she answered. "The Revolution should end soon, and I haven't heard anything  
  
about him since I left Kyoto."  
  
"Well, I'm sure he'll turn up eventually," Sano tried, smiling reassuringly. "From what  
  
you've told me, I can bet he's probably a good guy, and he loves you. I'm sure he'll come back.  
  
You shouldn't give up hope, Missy."  
  
"You're right, Sano," Kaoru agreed, finally looking up at him. "He won't be killed. He's  
  
too good for that. And, though I really hate to admit it to anyone but him, I need him."  
  
Sano nodded to her and left, smiling.  
  
Oh Kenshin, she thought, going to the porch to watch Sanosuke and the boys play. I wish  
  
you'd come home. I miss you so much. If you weren't the Legendary Manslayer you'd be here  
  
with me and Kenji right now. We'd be a happy family... Kenji's getting bigger, and he needs you.  
  
He's got your speed and stamina, and you're probably the only one who can wear him down. He  
  
needs you, Kenshin... and so do I. She sighed and turned her sad eyes to the sky.  
  
A Month Later...  
  
"Yamagata, you're sure this is where she went?" Battousai wondered, staring anxiously up  
  
at his older friend.  
  
"Yes Battousai," Yamagata answered, nodding once. "She asked me to give that note to  
  
you when I helped her out of Kyoto. You know Kaoru would never lie to you." He smiled gently  
  
at the short redhead.  
  
Battousai returned the smile and nodded. "You're right," he agreed. "Thank you,  
  
Yamagata." He turned from his friend and walked off.  
  
"You take care of her, Himura!" Yamagata called, smiling again.  
  
"I will!" Battousai replied, not turning around or stopping.  
  
"Hey Kaoru!" Yahiko yelled, bursting through the dojo gates.  
  
"What is it, Yahiko?" Kaoru asked from the porch.  
  
Yahiko ran past Kenji to Kaoru, smiling at the small boy as he passed. "Did ya hear the  
  
news?" he questioned Kaoru.  
  
"News?" she wondered, tensing slightly. "What news?"  
  
"Well, apparently, after the end of the Revolution, the Legendary Battousai the Manslayer  
  
disappeared."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah. They're sayin' it was like he just vanished into thin air. Nobody from the Inshin-  
  
Shishi will say what happened to him either."  
  
"You don't think... you don't think he... was killed... do you?"  
  
"The Battousai? No way! He's the best there is. There isn't a swordsman alive who can  
  
beat him."  
  
"Yeah," she sighed, relieved. I hope you're on your way here, Kenshin. I miss you so.  
  
A Few Days Later...  
  
Yahiko was on his way back to the dojo from the Akabeko when he bumped into someone  
  
turning a corner. "Oh, sorry about that, Mister," he apologized, looking up at the man's face.  
  
"That's quite all right, young man," Battousai said, closing his eyes and smiling innocently.  
  
"Maybe you can help me. I'm looking for a place called the Kamiya Dojo, I am. Would you  
  
happen to know the way there?"  
  
"Yeah," Yahiko agreed, happily. He had taken an instant liking to this strange red-haired  
  
man. "I'm a student there, and I was just on my way back. I can take you there if you want."  
  
"That sounds like a fine idea, that it does," Battousai accepted, smiling down at the  
  
cheerful boy. He walked alongside the boy as he led him to the Kamiya Dojo.  
  
"Oh, by the way, I'm Yahiko Myogin," he told him, proudly.  
  
"Well, then it's noce to meet you, Yahiko," Battousai replied, smiling at him again. "I  
  
apologize for this, but I'd rather not tell you who I am just yet, all right?"  
  
"Okay," Yahiko agreed, slowly. Realizing they'd reached the dojo, he opened the gates.  
  
"Well, this is it. I don't know where Kaoru is right now if you're lookin' for her, but you can come  
  
in and wait if you want while I find her."  
  
Battousai nodded and followed Yahiko inside. He was about to ask the boy something  
  
when all of a sudden-  
  
"YAHIKO!!!" a shrill voice cried, happily.  
  
A small red flash blurred past Battousai and tackled Yahiko.  
  
Upon closer inspection, he discovered the red flash to be actually a little boy about two  
  
years old with long, fiery red hair and shining amethyst eyes. His eyes widened as he stared at this  
  
smaller version of himself that was seated happily on Yahiko's stomach.  
  
"All right Yahiko, now that you're back it's time to-" Kaoru stopped abruptly as she saw  
  
Kenshin staring, wide-eyed, down at their son. "Kenshin," she breathed, dropping to her knees on  
  
the porch.  
  
"Oh yeah, this guy was lookin' for you," Yahiko explained, sitting up. "I ran into him in  
  
town and brought him back. He wouldn't tell me his name though."  
  
Battousai took a few cautious steps toward her and stopped when she stood up again.  
  
"Kaoru," he spoke up finally in a soft tone.  
  
"Kenshin, is that really you?" Kaoru asked, leaving her spot on the porch. She went right  
  
up to him and hesitantly reached up to touch his face. She gently traced the cross-shaped scar on  
  
his cheek and tugged lightly on his thick red bangs. Tears welled up in her eyes as she took in the  
  
fact that he was indeed alive and was standing a mere foot away from her.  
  
Kenshin wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him for a hug. He held her  
  
tenderly and stroked her back as she cried. "It's all right, Kaoru," he soothed. "I'm home now, that  
  
I am." He smiled and kissed her cheek lovingly.  
  
Kaoru pulled away from him and playfully slapped his arm. "You're such a jerk, Kenshin!"  
  
she yelled, feigning anger. "How could you just leave me alone to worry about you like that?"  
  
Kenshin's surprised expression changed to a pleasant one when she smiled sweetly at him.  
  
"I'm very sorry for that, Kaoru, that I am," he apologized, returning her smile.  
  
"Oh Kenshin, I missed you so much," she sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck.  
  
"I missed you too," he replied, instinctively returning the embrace.  
  
"So, who is this guy anyway, Ugly?" Yahiko asked, appearing beside the couple with  
  
Kenji perched on his shoulders.  
  
Kenshin's eyes flashed gold at the insult, and he glared at the boy angrily.  
  
Seeing the redhead's eyes, Yahiko took a step away from him, laughing uneasily.  
  
Kaoru pulled away from Kenshin and turned her furious eyes on her apprentice. "Well,  
  
little Yahiko, this is my friend, Kenshin, from Kyoto," she explained, taking Kenji from him. She  
  
glared once more at Yahiko before turning to Kenshin. "Kenshin, never mind Yahiko. He's my  
  
apprentice. He doesn't mean any harm."  
  
Kenshin's eyes softened back to lavender, and he nodded to her.  
  
"Anyway," she continued, smiling at him. "Kenshin, I want you to meet Kenji. He's our  
  
son."  
  
Kenshin's eyes widened slightly before he calmed and smiled at her. "I figured as much,  
  
that I did," he told her, turning his smile to Kenji. "Hello there, Kenji. I'm Kenshin." He bent down  
  
to the boy's eye level and held out his hand to him.  
  
"Hi," Kenji squeaked, hesitantly taking Kenshin's hand. Once he learned that the older  
  
redhead wasn't going to hurt him, he asked, "Are you my Daddy, Mr. Kenshin?"  
  
Kenshin chuckled at the name and nodded to answer his son's question.  
  
Kenji's face lit up, and he leapt from Kaoru's arms to Kenshin's, hugging him for the first  
  
time.  
  
Kenshin gladly returned to embrace and smiled over his son's shoulder at Kaoru.  
  
"So, that's Kenji's dad, huh?" Yahiko wondered, watching Kenshin and Kenji play in the  
  
front yard.  
  
"Yep, that's him all right," Kaoru agreed, smiling at the two redheads.  
  
"He looks just like him," Yahiko commented.  
  
"I know. But he never used to," Kaoru replied.  
  
"Huh? How does that work?"  
  
"Well, Kenshin's eyes used to be amber, not violet. I don't really know how he changes his  
  
eye color, but I think it has something to do with the mood he's in."  
  
"Oh." He looked out at the pair before him and focused his gaze on Kenshin's face. It's  
  
strange, he thought, confused. He looks so familiar to me. I know I've seen him somewhere  
  
before, but I just can't remember where.  
  
Kenshin stopped abruptly and looked up as Sano appeared in the doorway.  
  
Sano froze, and his eyes widened when he saw who was standing before him. "Battousai,"  
  
he breathed, shocked. Getting over his surprise, he gritted his teeth, fisted his hands, and charged  
  
Kenshin.  
  
Kenshin's eyes widened as Sano's fist connected with his face, throwing him away. He  
  
quickly regained his composure and skidded to a stop, reaching for his sword.  
  
"Rooster-head, what'd you think you're doing?!" Yahiko demanded, angrily.  
  
"Are you that stupid, punk?!" Sano insulted with equal fury. "That's Battousai the  
  
Manslayer! I'm protecting you from him!"  
  
"Battousai?!" Yahiko wondered, turning his stunned eyes on Kenshin. "Kenshin?!"  
  
"Kenshin?!" Sano repeated, looking over Kenshin's shoulder at Kaoru. "He can't be your  
  
Kenshin, can he Missy?"  
  
Kaoru stood up and went to Kenshin's side. "Yes, Sano," she agreed, taking Kenshin's  
  
hand. "He is my Kenshin. He is Kenji's father. He is my husband. And yes, he is the Legendary  
  
Battousai. But he loves me, and I know he wouldn't hurt anyone unless he them threatening to  
  
himself or his family."  
  
Sano opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off.  
  
"And he's not going anywhere either. I won't let him leave me ever again. So just live with  
  
it!" She crossed her arms and stormed away from them.  
  
Kenshin watched her go with a stupid grin on his face before turning back to Sano. "If it  
  
isn't too much of a bother, sir, I'd like to make a sort of truce with you, that I would," he offered,  
  
walking up to the taller man. "I can tell that you're very fond of Kaoru, as am I. And I don't wish  
  
to see her upset about anything else that I've done any more than you do, indeed I don't. It would  
  
tear her up inside to see us fight, that it most certainly would. I trust that you feel the same way?"  
  
He held out his hand for Sano and smiled innocently.  
  
He's definitely right, Sano admitted, suspisciously. I don't want the little Missy to get hurt  
  
but... can I trust him?... He doesn't look dangerous, but he is the Battousai. He could kill us all  
  
in a heartbeat if he wanted to. He shuddered despite himself at that thought. I guess I better play  
  
along. I'll just have to keep a close eye on him. He slowly took Kenshin's hand and shook, forcing  
  
himself to smile weakly.  
  
Kenshin smiled back, knowing what Sano was thinking. He turned from the taller man and  
  
went back to playing with his son.  
  
Later...  
  
"Missy, why didn't you tell us before that your Kenshin was the Battousai?!" Sano  
  
demanded, angrily.  
  
"I didn't want you to freak out and worry like you're doing anyway!" Kaoru retorted,  
  
glaring at Sanosuke.  
  
"Yeah, but Kaoru, he's Battousai the Manslayer," Yahiko argued. "He's dangerous."  
  
"Not anymore!" Kaoru snapped.  
  
"What?!" Sano and Yahiko yelled.  
  
"He's changed," she answered, her voice softening. "He's not a manslayer anymore. I  
  
know he will never kill anyone ever again. I can tell just by looking into his eyes... And besides,  
  
Kenshin only killed those who were a threat or his enemies. He never once hurt any innocent  
  
people, and I know he won't start now."  
  
Just then, Kenji bounced in with something small and white cupped in his hands. He  
  
stopped before Kaoru and presented the thing in his hands to her, an innocent smile on his face  
  
that matched Kenshin's. "Mommy, look what Daddy made!" he chirped, happily.  
  
Kaoru looked down at the thing in his hands, and her eyes widened as she realized what it  
  
was.  
  
Nestled in Kenji's palms was a snowy white riceball. Kenshin had given it a pair of  
  
makeshift ears, eyes, whiskers, and a little black nose to make it look like a little rabbit. It had a  
  
bite mark on its back where Kenji had taste-tested it.  
  
"That's wonderful, sweetie," Kaoru commented, smiling at him. "Where is your Daddy?"  
  
Kenji turned and pointed to the kitchen where he'd just come from. "He's cooking dinner,"  
  
he answered.  
  
"Now, do you honestly believe he'd ever hurt anyone?" Kaoru asked, turning to Sano and  
  
Yahiko. "I mean, he's cooking dinner for us for crying out loud. The Legendary Manslayer would  
  
never cook for others or make a rabbit out of a riceball either."  
  
"Kaoru is right, that she is," Kenshin spoke up, entering the dining room. He went to the  
  
table and set out the food he'd made. "I hope you like it, indeed I do." He sat down beside Kaoru  
  
and watched Kenji plop down next to him. He helped his son get his food before getting his own  
  
and eating.  
  
Yahiko watched Kenshin, Kaoru, and Kenji eat and looked down at his own food  
  
hungrily.  
  
"What are you two waiting for?" Kaoru asked, angrily. "It's not poisoned, and it's a lot  
  
better than my food. So, you might as well eat and enjoy it."  
  
Yahiko and Sano eyes her suspisciously and slowly began to eat.  
  
"Hey, you're right, Ugly," Yahiko commented. "This stuff is a lot better than the junk you  
  
cook." He began to laugh but stopped immediately when smacked him in the head. "Ow! That  
  
hurt! What'd ya do that for, Ugly?!"  
  
She promptly hit him again. "For insulting me, little Yahiko," she answered.  
  
"Don't call me little!" Yahiko ordered, angrily.  
  
The pair proceeded to argue, and Sano, Kenshin, and Kenji began to laugh at them.  
  
Everything was, more or less, back to normal at the Kamiya Dojo.


End file.
